Hey am I the only one who likes lycra?

[caer_caradoc]

I often see threads where people debate why alternatives are there to lycra or which looks item of clothing looks the most modest.

Hey, well I have confession. I love wearing the stuff. It looks sexy (on the right body) and feels great. Why should we cyclists feel ashamed. It looks great.

What about you?

 

[Manic]

You've hit on the main point: "on the right body". Some of us weren't born with six packs and maybe even were last in line when god was handing out reproductive organs if you know what I mean. Anyways, I bought some shorts and I wear my bathing suit over them. So far it works just fine and I don't have to feel like someone is conciously or unconciously "judging" me.

 

[Powerful Pete]

Lycra is fine. You will get used to it, and when you ride a little bit more you will look good in lycra. And remember, wearing a bathing suit flapping away over your cycling shorts will actually attract more unwanted attention than just riding in cycling gear.

Just ride and who cares what others are or are not judging!

 

[heathb]

This is a sore spot with me. Too many guys and gals for that matter have bodies that are embarresing to look at in lycra. I don't mean to be rude, but when I see a guy that weighs 260lbs in stretched tight lycra that's just wrong.

And the notion that your born fat and flabby and your stuck in that body for the rest of your life is in my opinion taking the lazy way out. If you're religious with your work out and diet then anyone can obtain a six pack. I think this is one of the reasons cycling doesn't get the respect it deserves compared to running. You'd never see that 260lb guy trying to jog down the street, but you see him noodling down the street at two miles any hour with a jersey stuffed full of twinkies. Both of my parents are obese. My dad weighs 300+ and my mom is 210lbs. I however workout ever day and stay around 5% body fat and that comes from eating a strick diet.

Yeah I'd feel uncomfortable in lycra if I had a gut hanging over my shorts, but most roadies that log serious miles are usually rail thin and look great. Nothing better than getting a honk from a bunch of cute girls driving by, or the glances from the moms that wish they were no longer married when they see you strutting your stuff.

 

[PartisanRanger]

I often see threads where people debate why alternatives are there to lycra or which looks item of clothing looks the most modest.

Hey, well I have confession. I love wearing the stuff. It looks sexy (on the right body) and feels great. Why should we cyclists feel ashamed. It looks great.

What about you?

I like it too. It feels pretty comfortable and I look pretty good in it.

 

[dw_moto]

I love lycra. It's comfortable and sexy.

Here are my tips for looking good in lycra:

If you're not gifted in the reproductive organ area wear shorts in bight colors (light blue, white (not in the rain) and red works well)... guarrenteed to make anything look huge (take a look at photos of Levi Leipheimer and Tom Boonan).

If you carrying a few extra pounds wear black. It also helps if you ride really fast. You lose weight faster and you get the added benifit of just being a blur.

 

[TrekDedicated]

I absolutely LOVE it. I'd wear it all around if people didn't look at me funny. I love it. I look good in it. It's mad comfortbale.

 

[ABG]

You've hit on the main point: "on the right body". Some of us weren't born with six packs and maybe even were last in line when god was handing out reproductive organs if you know what I mean.

I find that on black cycling shorts - the color that most are made of - the "reproductive organs" aren't very visible unless someone is up close. Still, I wouldn't go into a store or step onto a bus with Lycra on . When I know I'm in those situations, I will often carry a spare pair of more conventional shorts. Lycra is so slippery that you can often slip on an extra pair of shorts on the fly in 2 seconds with nobody noticing.

 

[Sarah23]

Fair go...smirking (grinning/blushing depending on how immature one is feeling and how often ones gaze grazes instead of averting) at the various ways men position the reproductive organs is half the fun of going on a group ride.

For once it is the guy with the bits all out there being measured...

 

[JJakucyk]

Some think I look good in spandex, some don't, but I don't care because I love wearing it.

 

[mikesbytes]

Fair go...smirking (grinning/blushing depending on how immature one is feeling and how often ones gaze grazes instead of averting) at the various ways men position the reproductive organs is half the fun of going on a group ride.

For once it is the guy with the bits all out there being measured...

Hence the discussions on wearing underwear. Hey I could of made some sort of joke about depending on whether it was a work or play measurement.

When was the last time someone said to you "Hows it hangning" which you answered "A bit to the left".

Anyway heres my take: "Some of us make lycra look good, the rest of us are only 5,000k away"

 

[Manic]

So I went out for a ride today in just bike shorts...no swim suit covering them. Felt pretty good actually. The comfort factor went up a couple of notches. I still don't think I'd walk into McDs' or somewhere wearing them though. I've also bought a second pair. This cycling is getting pretty addictive and somewhat expensive although I think I have all the basic essentials right now.

 

[heathb]

You'll never have the basics. You'll go into debt like the rest of us soon enough.

 

[Blademun]

You'll never have the basics. You'll go into debt like the rest of us soon enough.

My basics keep breaking and I am in debt. Healthb speaks the truth. (And I'll probably never wear lycra. I have too many friends of the macho Motorcycling crowd who would unceassingly jab me for them.)

 

[heathb]

Have those macho friends of yours go to a decent sized bike race and look around at who's wearing the lycra shorts. I don't think your macho motorcycle riders would ever mouth off to that crowd. The sterotype of the wimpy road bike rider is way off base, most of the racers and those that have put in the serious time often look like their on steroids.

 

[badangus]

I love Lycra! I only wish I looked as good in it now as
I did when I was racing.

 

[hillibillybiker]

Nothing I like better than riding down would be "lycra boys" on my old 3spd whilst wearing t shirt jeans and 10 hole boots .It looks fine on the serious riders such as those in Port Talbot Wheelers which is our local cycling club,but if like me you're bike is your only mode of transport or you're just a casual cyclist then it's best to keep it casual IMO.

 

[badangus]

Hi,this is badangus's wife. I still think he looks pretty darn good in the lycra!

 

[mikesbytes]

Hi,this is badangus's wife. I still think he looks pretty darn good in the lycra!

Post his picture, so the other riders wifes can be jellous.

 

[JohnO]

I put off the lycra shorts, just felt it was a bit much to be out in public like that. But... one day I was going out riding, all my baggy MTB shorts were in the wash, so I grabbed my wife's lycra shorts. Dang, these are comfortable! Made a believer out of me.

One other thing for you guys... unless you're in horrible shape, you will catch a lady or two tossing you an admiring glance. That will really make your day, well worth putting up with the gay comments.